The town of Ponyville continued living life, as it should be, but the ponies inside grew and grew. Shining Armor grew into a handsome stallion, reluctantly following in his father’s hoofsteps as manticore fighter. Despite his reluctance, Shining Armor was very skilled in his profession. But no matter what happened, he couldn’t bring himself to end the manticore. He would follow his father’s orders to the tee….but he wouldn’t do that.
But life wasn’t all about following his father’s orders. He had a side project. After his rigorous practices with his father, Shining Armor would head to a small little abandon cottage no pony knew about. Inside would be nothing but papers and books on nothing but magical defenses and combat. No matter how much his father drove into him about the importance of the family honor, he couldn’t give up on his of dream of being by his best friend’s side and protecting him and the one he loves. He wanted to protect everypony he loved, so in his spare time, he would pour himself into improving his shield magic and his combat skills. But he wasn’t alone; he would be joined by his two companions that shared his interest. One was a cyan colored pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and the cutie mark of a cloud with a rainbow lightning bolt coming out. She was a strong, athletic, and a boastful mare who one day dreamed of joining the Wonderbolts. She would be zipping in and out of the little cottage, actually, more like crashing in and out of the cottage trying a new stunt to improve. Rainbow Dash was of great help to Shining Armor. She pushed his limits. Made him run longer, fight harder, never to give up even when it seemed tough. She stayed loyal to Shining and his cause and that meant the world to him.
His second companion was actually a young castle guard that was stationed in Ponyville to help with its protection. Flash Sentry was an orange pegasus with blue hair and the cutie mark of a blue shield with a yellow lightning bolt going through it. They both shared a love for protecting the ones they love. Flash encountered Shining practicing his sword play near the edge of town. He decided to join Shining and give him a few pointers on his combat skills. Since then, they hung out every chance they had along with Rainbow Dash, all working together to better themselves and reach their goals. But they weren’t the only ones trying to strive for perfection.
Prince Blueblood was studying hard to lead his country. His advisors would bring him problems that needed solving all over Equestria. At first, he needed his advisors for help solving most of the problems. But over time, with each new experience and each new problem that popped up, he would get better at solving the problem. His quick thinking and air of superiority drew the citizens in and showered him with awe and respect which earned him his cutie mark; an eight pointed yellow and blue star. Sadly, it went to his head. As the citizen’s respect for him grew and grew, so did his ego. He never let it get passed to any pony how great he was.
But no matter how self-centered he got, he never forgot his friends. He tried to see Cadence, but his advisors wouldn’t allow him to enter the school. Apparently, stallions were not allowed on the school premises, no matter who they were. And every time his work brought him to Ponyville, he found himself meeting up with Shining Armor, laughing and reminiscing about their lives. No matter how much time has passed, the duo never grew apart. Sadly, they would always be dragged away from each other too soon and returned to their duties.
But fate would be bringing them together again, for the trio would finally be together again as Cadence was returning from Ponyville. It just so happens that Shining Armor’s first maticore fight was on the same day, but not everypony was happy about that.
“I don’t want to do this.” Shining Armor stated for what seemed like the millionth time to his father. Both he and his father were standing in their living room; Shining Armor facing his father with a look of distraught while his father kept a stern look on his face. Off to the side stood Shining’s mother; a face of unhappiness as she watched her son and husband fight.
“It is not up for debate. You are a Sparkle and as a Sparkle you will follow in our ancestor’s hoofsteps and be a manticore fighter.” He responded with conviction.
“Night Light…..” Shining’s mother started with hesitation.
“Velvet, this isn’t up for discussion. As long as he lives in my house, he will obey my rules.”
“Father, this is my life.” Shining replied. He loved his father and wanted to make him proud, but he didn’t understand why his father pushed this so hard.
“All of the Sparkles were manticore fighters. Every single one of us.” Night Light’s gaze went to the many portraits aligning the walls of the Sparkle living room. His eye’s drifted his great-grandfather’s portrait Big Macintosh Sparkle; a red stallion with a dirty blond mane and white freckles and a huge green apple as a cutie mark. His gaze continued to wonder till it hit his grandmother Applejack Sparkle; an orange mare with a loose blond mane with white freckles and three red apples as a cutie mark. His final stop was on a picture of three ponies, Night Light himself, Twilight Velvet, and his grandmother’s sister Trixie Sparkle, a dark blue unicorn with a light blue mane and a crescent moon and a star as a cutie mark standing in a manticore ring.
Night Light’s eye’s welled with pride as he gazed at his proud family heritage and looked as his son, wanting nothing more than for his son to understand. “It’s in your blood son, it’s your destiny. How many times do I have to say this to you?”
“But this isn’t me, this is you! I don’t want to lead this life. I want to stand by Prince Bloodblood’s side and protect him. He’s a great leader and I want to stand proudly by his side and do all I can to help.” Shining pleaded.
“Shining, Blueblood may be the hero of the country, but today, you will be the hero of the ring. If, for once, you actually finish the manticore.” He finished with an exaggerated sigh.
“But he finished a manticore the other day at practice!” called a voice.
“What the-?”
Three heads swung towards the living room window where Rainbow Dash’s body was hanging halfway in. Seconds later, Flash Sentry’s head popped up with an apologetic grin.
“I mean, a weather pony accidently set off a lightning bolt on the manticore so he didn’t technically do it, but it was during manticore fight practice so it has to count!” Rainbow Dash explained.
“It doesn’t, dear….” Twilight Velvet answered apologetically.
“Get….get out of here!” Night Light yelled and with a flick of his horn, he sent a sword flying toward the window where it hit right above the window, but it was enough for the duo to get the message.
“A-a-alright Shining, w-we’ll meet you at the arena.” Flash stammered, looking at everything but Night Light. Grabbing Rainbow’s tail, he dragged her away from the house. With a final eye-roll, Shining Armor turned toward the door.
“I’m outta here.” He growled. He was tired of the lecture his father was giving him. It was old, repeated and he was getting sick and tired of hearing the same line over and over again. Heading for the door he was stopped by his father.
“Don’t you love your family?”
Shining Armor stopped dead in his tracks. His heart stung by his father’s question, followed by a burning rage. How dare he? How dare he question his love for his family? For Twilight? But it was quenched when he thought of his family. His family was a proud family, known throughout Equestria for being the most famous manticore fighters of all time. His chest grew heavy with the burden of his name and the expectations it brought. He loved his family….and he would do anything for his family.
He turned towards his father with a look of defeat. With a sigh of relief, Night Light took the sword out of the wall above the window and equipped it on Shining Armor’s back.
“Just go out there, and be a Sparkle.” He stated boldly.
With a final nod at his father, Shining walked out the door and headed toward the arena.
Twilight Velvet looked after her son with sadness and turned towards her husband.
“Night Light, he’s not going to do it.” She stated solemnly.
Shining Armor stood under the arena and stared at the entrance into the open. His chest kept getting heavier and heavier as he stared out into the crowed. Sadly, he realized that these ponies didn’t come here to see a manticore fight. They wanted to see the son of the great manticore fighter Night Light Sparkle. None of these ponies wanted to see him, just his ancestor’s legacy. And not only that, they were expecting him to end a manticore. Bile rose in his throat at the thought of all the cheering and hoofbeats that would follow. How could anypony relish in the thought in the ending of a life?
The only ray of light in this was that the rumor of Cadence coming back was true and that she was going to attend. He smiled at the thought of seeing is love again. Concentrating on the entrance, he tried to summon up the courage to approach when a familiar voice came up behind.
“Hey Shining, no retreat my friend.”
Smiling, Shining Armor turned around to see Prince Blueblood approach him from behind.
“No surrender.” Shining replied to trio’s motto as he ran up to Blueblood and embraced him. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“Oh come now, you didn’t think I’d miss your first little manticore fight, did you?” Blueblood asked.
“Oh yea, like it had nothing to do with Cadence returning, right?” he replied sarcastically.
“There’s nothing getting passed you is there? Alright, you caught me, but seeing you again, old friend, is definitely a plus. I can’t wait to see her and tell her all the changes I’ve made to Equestria.” Blueblood explained, shuffling his hooves in excitement.
“Oh, so you think she’ll only be glad to see you? You may have your accomplishments, but today, I own the arena, like a true Sparkle.” He boasted.
Prince Blueblood smiled sadly at Shining. He couldn’t fool him. He knew how much pressure his family was putting on him. It was one of the things that bonded them together.
“We live under some big shadows, don’t we?” he whispered.
Shining breathed a small sigh of relief with the fact that he doesn’t have to hide anything from Blueblood. “Huge.” He whispered back.
The sound of trumpets filled the stadium as the first part of the performance began. Blueblood nodded at Shining and turned around to step out into the open as the voice of Mayor Mare rang throughout the arena.
Gracing us with his presence is our adoptive son from Canterlot, announcing Prince Blueblood!
About to step out into the open, Bloodblood stopped and turned towards Shining.
“Hey brother? May the best stallion win Cadence.” And with that, he sauntered out into the open.